Dwarf Furze (Ulex gallii), also known as Western Gorse, is an evergreen shrub in
the family Fabaceae, native to southern Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland,
France and north-western Spain. It is more common in the west and favours acid
heathy soils and is frequently found in exposed maritime and montane
environments.

It grows up to 90 cm tall although it is often much shorter than this,
especially in exposed locations. The young stems are green, with the leaves
modified into green spines, 1–3 cm long.

The flowers are yellow, 1–2 cm long, with the typical pea-flower structure; they
are produced principally in the late summer and autumn, rarely before July. The
fruit is a legume (pod), partly enclosed by the pale brown remnants of the
flower.

Like all species of gorse, it is a fire-climax plant, which readily catches fire
but re-grows from the roots after the fire; the seeds are also adapted to
germinate after slight scorching by fire.